SYNOPSIS (Chapter Thirty One: Calls) [Richard's P.O.V.] S !e ne "#st called n !e. $nd I ha%e !y app int!

ents t day & r the 'ine c !pany. Ne' in%est rs. I "#st need t c !e t the &&ice( attend the !eetin)( d the si)nin) and thats it* +#t( I d nt ,n ' 'h 'll t , care & T-./. i tal, t her and said she's ,ay( they're ,ay. +#t I still cant lea%e the! 'ith that( s I called Vi%s t t , care %er her. 01 %e( are y # s#re y #re ,ay20 0+a3e( I a!. 4e'll 3e &ine here. I ,n ' na!an na( this is %ery i!p rtant !atter. I #nderstand it.0 0I'! s rry 1 %e( this is "#st s i!p rtant. I pr !ise 3a3a'i a, say .0 I h#) her &r ! the 3ac, 0N . $s I said( I #nderstand. Its ,ay. +asta 3#siness !atters( its al'ays ,ay & r !e. 5#st al'ays 3e care&#l and +.-$V..0 6i%in) an) e!phasi7e t the ' rd( +eha%e. 0I 'ill. I'll 3e 8#ic,. I'll try na !a,a#'i n) !as !aa)a para !a,a dinner a, .0 0Yes( please d .0 0O,ay( I ha%e t ) . +ye.0 Then I h#) her and lea%e. I #sed !y car and 'ent t the &&ice. Pa),apas , , sa &&ice... 0Thesa20 I called n !y secretary 0Yes sir20 04hats !y app int!ents t day20 I as, her sittin) n !y s'i%el chair 09h!... /eetin) 'ith /r. :e 1a Ve)a & r the 'ine e;pansi n( that's <:==>?=:==... /r. l csin & r the cr#ise ship sir( ??:==>?@:==( and... /s. Pan)ilinan. Per sir( this 'as said na ?@:==>=?:== and that !eans( n l#nch sir.0 04hat2* P'ede na!an atan) I>! %e an) ti!e2 $ny ther details20 04ala na sir. +#t she le&t a callin) card.0 -e hand !e the card 0O,ay. Than, y #.0 /y secretary le&t. -indi , ,ilala y#n) /s. Pan)ilinan( 3#t( !y heart s,ips a 3eat. Paran) ,ina3ahan a, 'hen I heard the na!e. That 'as !ysteri #s. -indi !an lan) na) i'an n) ,ahit an n) details( e%en y#n) dahilan n#n) !eetin). $ny'ays( I'll !ade a call & r this( /s( Pan)ilinan. :I$1... :I$1...

RIN6S... $NS4.RS... 0.;c#!e !e( !ay I tal, t /s. Pan)ilinan20 0Spea,in)20 4ait( that s #nds &a!iliar... 09h!... This is Richard 6 !e7 & the 6 and .! C rp. !ay I "#st as, 'ere is the !eetin)2 I thin, y # & r) t t lea%e s !e details and...0 0O,ay ,ay... 9h!... Can y # pic, !e #p here sa Ca!ella( street 'alin)'alin) n#!3er ?AB...0 04>'ait. 4hy d nt 'e "#st( !eet s !e'here sa !a,ati2 $tleast( !alapit lan) di3a20 0/r. 6 !e7( "#st pic, !e #p and 'e're ) in) s !e'here & r the 'ines.0 0Y #re in%estin)20 09h!... 4e can say that( plannin) t . I a! n t yet s#re i& !a)i)in) ,ay and hindi na!an a, !al#l#)i.0 0O,ay. 9h!... 5#st pic, y # #p !a!aya. I'! s#re y #'ll ne%er re)ret this 'hen y # in%est.0 0I thin, 'e sh #ld see each ther nalan) and tal, a3 #t it later.0 0Yes than, y #.0 C$11 :ROP... :a)da) in%est na na!an t . -ayy... $nd the cr#ise ship. I'! plannin) t 3#y it & r :a'n's +irthday )i&t. I "#st need t tal, t /r. 1 csin and ) . 4hen this pr "ect 3ec !e s#ccess&#l( !a3i3ili , tala)a y#n & r her. 5#st a little ! re step... 5#st a little ! re... I )ra3 !y paper' r,s and started ' r,in) n it. Cesa na!an 'ala !an lan) a, n) !atap s n)ay n. Casi !a!aya( I'll 3e %ery 3#sy. [:a'n's P.O.V.] I 'as sittin) at the c #ch( in&r nt & the TV and eatin) c#pca,es. I 'as 'ith Vi%ian 3#t she's #tside 'ith a call. I a! 'atchin) the TV( yes( 3#t !y !ind ' nders s !e'here. $nd its n Richard. 4here is he na ,aya2 -e d esnt call eh. :a'n( 'a) pranin)( he's "#st 3#sy in the c !pany( he's ha%in) a !eetin)* +#t( I sa' !y ph ne n the ta3le. I )ra3 it and scr ll n !y ph ne and st p sa !ay 'Richard +a3e' na na!e. I s!iled. I cant help !ysel& n t t call hi!. DOn 1ineD

0-ell 2 l %e20 0+a3e20 04hy did y # call20 0+a3e( #h!... Na!iss lan) ,ita. Na,a,aa3ala 3a a, 20 0-indi* $nd y #re ne%er 3e* : y # 'ant s !ethin) 'hen I ) t h !e20 04ell... I 'ant : n#ts.0 0O,ay. 4hat else20 0$nd( &ries and s#ndae.0 0Y#n lan)20 0Yep* $y* One ! re thin)...0 0Yes20 0Y #*0 I )i))le -e la#)h 0an) s'eet tala)a n) 1 %e , * Si)e( !a!aya( : n#ts( Eries( S#ndae and /.*0 0-ehehe* Than,s*0 0$nythin) & r !y 1 %e*0 0+ye 3ye*0 0+ye* I 1 %e y #*0 01 %e y # t Dcall dr pD +a,it )ant an) na &e>&eel , 2 1a)i a, n) s#!asaya 'hen I "#st heard his % ice. 4hen I see hi! and h#) hi!. .%eryti!e he ,iss !e. Thats %ery... 4 '* I cant e;plain it* N ' I a! s!ilin) #t & n 'here. 04hat's 'ith the s!ile /rs. 6 !e720 S !e ne as,. It 'as %i%s. Sin pa 3a ,asa!a , dit 2 0$n) lapad at an) s!ile ! ah*0 04ala* T#!a'a) lan) a, sa,anya.0 I said s!ilin) 0T#!a'a) lan) pala( 3at )anyan an) s!ile20 N)#!iti lan) a, and I can &eel !y 3l d rises t !y &ace. I ,n ' she'll tease !e ,aya I *0

l 'ered !y &ace. 0Na) 3l#sh2* Teena)er lan)20 Then she la#)h at !e. Pa) !ina!alas n)a na!an. $ish* 0St p it Vi%s*0 0-aha* O,ay ,ay. -indi na* S ... 4hat did he tell t !a,e y # ,ili)in li,e that20 She sitted 3eside !e. $nd she's teasin) !e 0Vi%s*0 0O,ay ,ay* I'! "#st ,iddin) ,ay2 $n palan) pan)alan ni +a3y20 0Pa) lala,i da'( Rich!#nd Eran,. Pa) 3a3ae na!an( Ces,a +rittany.0 I s!iled 'hile t #chin) !y t#!!y l ,in) at it. 0$n) saya ! ha* +asta( ninan) a, ah*0 0O na!an* I,a' pa*0 0Thats 'hy I li,e y #*0 She s!iled 0Na!an*0 Sa3ay ta'a na!in) dala'a. 0Na,# :a'n... napa,a s'erte ! tala)a t ha%e hi!. $nd sye!pre( he t 0Yeah0 i si!ply said and s!ile 0Paran) ,elan lan) n 2 4hen y # t' "#st !et. I can see hi! 'ith his heartstr#c, &ace say ( a3a* $n) )anda )anda ! ,aya* Sin 3a na!an an) !a,a,a escape2* Then( li)a'an... -ayyy...0 0Yeah( tap s( the ! st !e! ra3le ! !en...0 -indi , na tinap s. 0Y # d nt need t say it( 3eca#se ai ,n ' it.0 She )rin 0Sana( & re%er na ,a!i n 20 0I ,n ' y # are* /ay ana, na n)a ,ay di3a2 $nd( !ahal na !ahal niny an) isat isa.0 0I 1 %e hi! %ery !#ch*0 0I ,n ' that*0 She s!ile 0N '( y # "#st need t sit 3ac, and rela;( 'ait & r hi!( ta,e care & y #r 3a3y. $nd .... 6 *0 She added I cant help t s!ile and l , at !y t#!!y and t #ch it a)ain. Sana n)a( sana !a)in) per&ect an) relatin natin. 4a) ,an) !a) alala 3a3y( I 'ill al'ays 3e here. I ' nt let ) . 4e 'ill 3e happy. say .0

0Y # thin,( I can 3e a )

d ! ther20

0O&c #rse y # are* $nd na,i,ita , na a)ad yan( n)ay n palan). I ,n ' that y # can d this*0 0I h pe s Vi%s. $nd t 3e a ) d 'i&e t .0

0Y #'ll 3e per&ect* I can say.0 She s!iled. $nd I s!ile 3ac, [Richard's P.O.V.] Its already ??:BF... 0Than, y # /r. l csin*0 0N ( Than, y # /r. 6 !e7. N '( The Cr#ise Ship is y #rs.0 Na,ipa) sha,e hands ,a!i sa isa't isa. I ha%e !y s!ile n !y &ace and he t 0Para saan pala an) ship2 $re y # ) in) s !e'here in /aca#20 -e as, 0N ( its & r !y 'i&e.0 0$h* $ +irthday )i&t20 0Thats s cle%er & y # /r. l csin*0 0-aha* Than, y #. I h pe /rs. 6 !e7 'ill li,e it. 4h is this l#c,y ' !an any'ay20 0Rachel Tale n.0 0-!!... S #nds( &a!iliar.0 0Yeah( she is. The :a'n G#l#eta & $+S>C+N20 0Really2 Si /s. :a'n2*0 0Yes.0 0Can I tal, t her2 +eca#se !y :a#)hter $n)ela l %es her s !#ch. She's 3een al'ays 'atchin) her sh 's e%er since. e%en y #r latest.0 0Really2 : nt ' rry( I'll tal, t her. I'! s#re she'll 3e happy 'hen she ,n 's.0 0Yes. She al'ays said( She 'anted t !eet her. +#t( I d nt ,n ' h '. 1#c,y !e* 0 0$nd 6#ess 'hat2 I'! ) in) t ha%e a &ather*0 0Really2* Oh* C n)rat#lati ns /r. 6 !e7*0 0Than, y #*0 .

0S ( I h pe t see y # a)ain 'ith !y $n)ela20 0Yes &c #rse. Oh* Y # can c !e %er !y h #se( i& y # 'anted20 0Really2 .;pect #s* $n)ela ' #ld 3e %ery happy*0 0S she 'ill..0 0+ye /r. 6 !e7 and Than, y # a)ain*0 06 d3ye. Nice !eetin) y # t .0

Hsha,e handsH I r#n t !y car sa par,in) l t... ?@:=A... 0Shit*0 I a! ) in) t !a,e s#nd pa this /s. Pan)ilinan. $ish* +a,it pa ,asi hindi nalan) sa !a,ati !a,ipa),ita* $nd... /eetin) n... 1#nch ti!e2* The hec,* I'll "#st call :a'n a3 #t this thin)... +e& re I dri%e the car( i decided t call :a'n... 01 %e20 0Yes20 0I cant c !e this l#nch eh. I ha%e a !eetin) pa. ,ay lan) 3a20 0$h... O> ,ay lan).0 0S rry ,ay2 I'll !a,e it #p t y # !a!aya. 9#'i a, a)ad.0 0O,ay.0 I heard her si)h &r ! the ther line 01 %e( ,ay ,a lan) 3a2 I !ean( I can cancel the...0 0N n * : nt d that. I'! &ine. I'll !iss y # na ,asi eh.0 0$''( an) s'eet na!an n) 1 %e , . +a3a'i a, say !a!aya ni 3a3y.0 0Si)e* I 1 %e y #*0 0I 1 %e y # t 0+ye.0 0+ye*0 I'll !a,e it #p t her nalan) !a!aya. This is "#st s 3#sy day tala)a. I dri%e t the Ca!ella and hinanap y#n) ?AB... There*... I st p the car and l#!a3as... There 'as a ' !an na ,alala3as pa lan) sa 3ahay nila. She t#rn t &ace !e... 1 %e*0

ODO 0$ndrea2*0